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Birds Re-Tool Pitching Staff With Four Moves

Posted: 7/31/2019

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- On the day of the chaotic MLB trade deadline, the Sioux Falls Canaries have made their own flurry of moves.

Two new pitchers have joined the Canaries. Veteran starter Tyler Herron comes to Sioux Falls from the Atlantic League's High Point Rockers, completing a trade between the two clubs from this past offseason. Right-hander Harrison Cooney joins the Birds as a free agent after starting the season with the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

In corresponding moves, the Canaries released pitchers Trevor Jaunich and Adam Stockwell. Jaunich has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Herron brings plenty of veteran experience to the Canaries. A first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005, the 32-year-old has nine years of minor-league experience as well as seven in indy ball.

Herron is expected to join the Canaries' starting rotation during their series at Cleburne Saturday through Monday.

The Melbourne, FL resident spent time in the Cardinals, Pirates, Nationals, and Mets systems over his minor-league career, pitching in Triple-A as recently as 2016. In all he owns a 4.61 ERA over his minor-league career, making 2018 apperances.

Herron is no stranger to the American Association, having suited up for Fargo-Moorhead, Lincoln and Winnipeg over his career. He made six starts with Winnipeg toward the end of last season, posting a 3.19 ERA and walking just seven batters in 36.2 innings.

Herron made 17 starts with High Point in 2019, posting a 6.05 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. He struck out 57 and walked 21 in 93.2 innings.

Cooney, a former Angels and Red Sox farmhand, spent the first part of the season with the Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes. Cooney was originally drafted in the sixth round in 2013 by the Los Angeles Angels out of Florida Gulf Coast University. He made it as high as AA Arkansas in the Angels’ system two years later. He missed most of 2016 due to injury before the Red Sox selected him in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft that December.

Cooney spent 2017 and 2018 in Boston’s system, making it as high as AA Portland in 2018 Cooney owns a 5.02 career ERA in minor-league ball over 106 appearances (46 starts). Cooney made nine apperances with Winnipeg earlier this year, six of them starts. He posted a 6.96 ERA and 1.69 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.

The Canaries are on a two-week road trip; they return home on August 12 for a rivalry series with the Sioux City Explorers. For more information on season tickets, suites, group outings, and corporate opportunities, call the Canaries Front Office at (605) 336-6060, or visit the Canaries official website at www.sfcanaries.com.